Method of retrofitting air conditioner and system therefor

ABSTRACT

A kit and method for retrofitting an R-12 air conditioner into an R-134a air conditioner are provided. The kit includes a first pressurized container of R-134a lubricant or oil sufficient to fully charge an automobile air conditioner. Preferably, the first container also contains pressurized refrigerant 134a to act as a propellant to deliver the lubricant in aerosol form. A second pressurized container may also be provided containing a full charge of R-134a for an auto air conditioner. The kit includes a service port adapter, configured to be convertible to the service port of an automobile air conditioner wherein both the first and second containers may be hooked up to the auto air conditioner via the same service port adapter.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to automobile air conditioners and morespecifically to a method and system for retrofitting automobile airconditioners to make them less environmentally dangerous.

2. Description of the Related Art

Up until recently, automobile air conditioners were provided withRefrigerant-12, or R-12, as their primary refrigerant. Lubrication forthe air conditioner was provided by what may be termed R-12 lubricant.It has been discovered that R-12 is a environmentally dangerousmaterial, because when it is released into the atmosphere, R-12 hasdeleterious effects on the Earth's ozone layer. A substituterefrigerant, R-134a, has been developed and is being used in modernautomobile air conditioners. R-134a requires its own lubricant.

Older automobiles must be retrofit from using R-12 to using R-134a.Previously, retrofitting involved opening the air conditioning system,an otherwise closed system, prior to adding R-134a and its associatedlubricant. A mechanical oil injector has typically been employed. Thisincreases the chances of dangerous and toxic chemicals (i.e., R-12 andits lubricant, and R-134a and its lubricant) from spilling and/orleaking into the ambient air.

Conventionally, it has been known to add small amounts of R-134alubricant to an air conditioner. Typically, aerosol of oil charges areprovided which add no more than 2 ounces of R-134a lubricant into an airconditioner. However, the typical automobile air conditioner requires upto 8 ounces of lubricant to be fully charged and functional. Such a 2ounce charge is only suitable for "topping off" an air conditioner witha reduced level of R-134a or oil, and is not suitable for a completeretrofit of an R-12 system. Moreover, once the lubricant is added,R-134a must also be added in a separate step or steps. Typically, aseparate attachment is required to connect the container of R-134a tothe air conditioning system. This method is inconvenient and slow.

There is a long-felt need to provide a method and kit for retrofittingan R-12 air conditioner for R-134a in fewer steps than is currentlyavailable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a method and kit forretrofitting an R-12 air conditioner for R-134a in than isconventionally available.

It is another object of the invention to provide an R-12 to R-134aretrofit kit that can retrofit an air conditioner with a single chargingdevice.

It is another object of the invention to provide an R-12 to R-134aretrofit kit that is simple to use.

It is another object of the invention to provide an air conditionerretrofit kit that is safe for the environment.

The above and other objects are accomplished by the invention whichincludes a kit for retrofitting an R-12 air conditioner into an R-134aair conditioner. In one embodiment, the kit includes a first pressurizedcontainer of R-134a lubricant or oil sufficient to fully charge anautomobile air conditioner. Preferably, the first container delivers 8ozs. of R-134a lubricant. Preferably, the first container also containspressurized refrigerant 134a to act as a propellant to deliver the oilin aerosol form. A second pressurized container may also be providedcontaining a full charge of R-134a for an auto air conditioner.Preferably, the inventive kit includes a service port adapter,configured to be convertible to the service port of an automobile airconditioner wherein both the first and second containers may be hookedup to the auto air conditioner via the same service port adapter.

The inventive kit has several advantages over conventional systems.First, by providing a full charge of oil in an aerosol form in onecontainer, a user may retrofit an R-12 system into an R-134a system moreeasily than by using a mechanical oil injector. Second, by using R-134aitself as the aerosol propellant for the oil, the invention adds somerefrigerant to the air conditioner while the air conditioner is beingretrofitted to use R-134a, thereby saving time and refrigerant. Third,by providing a service port adapter that can accommodate both the firstcontainer of oil and the second container of R-134a, retrofitting isaccomplished in simpler steps using fewer parts, i.e., separateconnectors for the oil and R-134a containers are obviated. Retrofittingis thus made less expensive owing to the need for fewer parts and ismade more convenient.

The invention also includes a method for retrofitting an automobile airconditioner. A service port adapter is attached to the service port ofthe air conditioner. A first container of lubricant in aerosol formpropelled by R-134a is connected to the service port adapter via aconnector hose. A valve provided on the connector hose is opened, and afull charge of oil is propelled into the air conditioner along with aquantity of R-134a. There are provided the steps of connecting a secondcontainer filled with R-134a to the same connector hose, opening thevalve, and filling the air conditioner with the R-134a.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view diagram of the service port adapter of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a front view diagram of a kit according to the invention inuse for retrofitting an air conditioner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Description herein follows with reference to FIGS. 1-2. Numeral 5represents the automobile air conditioner (in block form) that requiresretrofitting from R-12 to R-134a. Air conditioner 5 possesses serviceport 8 for receiving refrigerant and lubricant.

Service port adapter 10 is attached to air conditioner 5 via serviceport 8. This enables connecting hose 20 to communicate with airconditioner 5. Hose 20 includes, at one end, puncture valve 22 andconnector 24 at the other end. Puncture valve 22 attaches to cans 30, 35of refrigerant and/or lubricant, one can at a time. Connector 24attaches hose 20 to service port adapter 10. When one of cans 30, 35 issecured to valve 22 (after connector 24 is attached to adapter 10),handle 26 is turned. The turning of handle 26 forces a pin (not shown)to puncture the seal (not shown) of the can, and the pressurizedcontents of the can are forced through valve 24, along hose 20, throughadapter 10, and into air conditioner 5.

In operation, the invention is used as follows. First, refrigerant 12 isremoved from the system in an environmentally safe fashion known in theart. Service port adapter 10 is securely attached to port 8 of airconditioner 5. Connector 24 of hose 20 is then secured to adapter 10.Can 30, containing lubricant propelled by R-134a, is attached to valve22. Handle 26 is turned, the seal of can 30 is broken, and the lubricanttherein is forced under pressure into the air conditioner 5. Valve 22 isclosed, and can 30 is removed. Can 35, containing a full charge ofR-134a, is attached to valve 22. Handle 26 is again turned, puncturingthe seal of can 35, thereby allowing the pressurized R-134a to move fromcan 35 into air conditioner 5.

Having described the invention with regard to specific embodiments, itis to be understood that the description is not meant as a limitationexcluding such further variations or modifications as may be apparent ormay suggest themselves to those skilled in the art it is intended thatthe present invention cover such variations and modifications as fallwithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A kit for retrofitting an automobile air conditioner fromusing refrigerant R-12 to refrigerant R-134 a, comprising:a firstpressurized container containing R-134a lubricant and refrigerant R-134aunder pressure, said refrigerant R-134a acting as a propellant for saidR-134a lubricant, said first pressurized container containing sufficientR-134a lubricant to charge substantially completely and thus retrofitsubstantially fully an automobile air conditioner; and means forconveying said lubricant and said second refrigerant from said firstpressurized container to the air conditioner simultaneously.
 2. Aretrofitting kit according to claim 1, further comprising a secondpressurized container containing an additional amount of saidrefrigerant R-134a .
 3. A retrofitting kit according to claim 2, whereinsaid second pressurized container contains an amount of said refrigerantR-134a to charge substantially completely and thus to fully retrofit theautomobile air conditioner.
 4. A retrofitting kit according to claim 2,wherein said conveying means is selectively attachable to both saidfirst and second pressurized containers.
 5. A retrofitting kit accordingto claim 4, wherein said first pressurized container comprises a firstseal and said second pressurized container comprises a second seal.
 6. Aretrofitting kit according to claim 5, wherein said first and secondseals comprise puncture seals.
 7. A retrofitting kit according to claim5, wherein said conveying means comprises:a valve selectively sealinglyattachable to both said first and second seals; a hose, in communicationwith said valve at a first end of said hose; and an adapter, incommunication with a second end of said hose, sealingly connectable to aservice port of the air conditioner to be retrofitted.
 8. A retrofittingkit according to claim 7, wherein said refrigerant 134a in said firstpressurized container acts as a propellent for said R-134a lubricantwhen said valve is attached to said first seal.
 9. A retrofitting kitaccording to claim 7, wherein said first and second seals comprisepuncture seals and said valve comprises a puncture valve.
 10. A methodof completely retrofitting an automobile air conditioner from usingrefrigerant R-12 to refrigerant R-134a, comprising the steps of:a)sealingly attaching an adapter to a service port of the air conditioner;b) providing a first pressurized container containing R-134a lubricantand refrigerant R-134a; c) sealingly attaching the first pressurizedcontainer to the adapter via a connector hose; and d) opening a valve onthe connector hose, wherein said opening step d) causes the R-134alubricant and refrigerant R-134a to be propelled into the airconditioner, the refrigerant R-134a acting as propellent for thelubricant, wherein the first pressurized container contains an amount ofthe lubricant sufficient to substantially fully retrofit the airconditioner.
 11. A retrofitting method according to claim 10, whereinduring and after said opening step d), the R-134a lubricant is conveyedto the automobile air conditioner in aerosol form.
 12. A retrofittingmethod according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:e)providing a second pressurized container containing an additional amountof refrigerant R-134a; f) sealingly attaching the second pressurizedcontainer to the adapter via the connector hose; and g) opening thevalve on the connector hose, wherein said opening step g) causes theadditional amount of refrigerant R-134a to be propelled into the airconditioner.
 13. A retrofitting method according to claim 12, whereinthe second pressurized container contains an amount of refrigerantR-134a to substantially fully retrofit the air conditioner.
 14. Aretrofitting method according to claim 12, wherein the connector hose issealingly connected to the first pressurized container at the valve insaid attaching step c) and the connector hose is sealingly connected tosecond pressurized container at the valve in said attaching step f). 15.A retrofitting method according to claim 10, wherein the connector hoseis sealingly connected to the first pressurized container at the valvein said attaching step c).